Casual Shirts: Embrace the Rumple

09.06.16

We know what dress shirts are. They are crisp, with clean lines and spread collars. We wear them to work, because we mean business. Oftentimes, we also wear them everywhere else, like cocktail parties, social engagements and football games. Why? Because it’s easy. They fit well and look good. But you’re probably thinking the whole time, I just look like the guy at the office.

So let’s talk casual shirts aka sport shirts. They still have collars and cuffs, they still button all the way down, and they can still be custom fitted. But what if they could be a bit more comfortable? What if they can still look tailored and stylish, but feel soft and easy to wear during a warm summer evening or even when the office dress code relaxes for the summer.

The key to designing your favorite off duty tailored shirt is a great wash. This will soften the fabric yarns so they feel like a worn-in t-shirt. It will also ease the woven tension so it feels easier to move around, without adding synthetics like polyester. And the perfect wash has just enough rumpling at the seams, placket and cuffs to telegraph that you can look good, even while off duty.

We’re proud of our Soft Wash Shirts because J.Hilburn is the first brand to offer a custom fitted washed shirt. Post-production washing is manageable when producing in bulk, because you can better account for fabric shrink during the wash. In fact, 15%-20% of bulk washed shirts get rejected (and end in up in factory outlets) because they shrink beyond tolerable sizing variations.

The production process for a washed custom shirt is particularly difficult because each fabric needs to be tested for performance post-wash. The sizing pattern is modified to accommodate this change, and every other step – cutting, sewing, collar & cuff interlining – is adjusted to ensure we deliver a soft, rumpled, custom fitted shirt.